The invention relates to a transport system with a vehicle, which can be moved on rails arranged next to each other.
A supportive running gear for a trolley conveyor to allow travel on a support utility for below-ground drifting is known from German patent DE 32 38 402. The trolley conveyor exhibits two parallel rails at a certain distance from each other, on which a vehicle for the support utility can be moved. The vehicle essentially consists of two crabs which are arranged behind each other when seen in the direction of travel, and are connected with each other by means of a steering rod. A cantilever, which can be pivoted about a horizontal axis, is latched onto the first crab. A pulling device, connected to lifting gear secured to the second crab, grips the cantilever""s empty end. Each of the two crabs exhibits four running gears, each of which is mounted about horizontal axes at the ends of one of the crab""s cross members and can be pivoted in the direction of travel. The cross member on the other hand is connected with that part of the crab on which the arm is mounted, about a horizontal axis in the direction of travel.
Furthermore, each running gear is connected with the cross member around a vertical axis and can be rotated. In addition, as it pertains to the running gears on one vehicle side, another essentially horizontal axis transverse in direction of travel, located between the running gear and the cross member, provides for the crabs"" linear displacement at right angles to the direction of travel. Due to the multitude of pivoting possibilities provided for each crab and each running gear, the vehicle at hand may also be guided on rails run irregularly. Due to the possibility of displacing the crabs"" running gears transversely, even larger modifications in the rails"" tracks can be offset.
Further, German patent document DE 195 09 727 C1 describes a transport system with a vehicle able to travel on rails and with good cornering performance. This transport system is not designed as a trolley conveyor, rather the vehicle travels on rails mounted on the ground and exhibits four running gears at its corner points, which are mounted around vertical axes and able to pivot. The running gears on one vehicle side are not arranged directly on the frame but via bearing shanks, whose ends are turned away from the running gears, mounted on the frame around a vertical pivot axis and are able to pivot. Due to this guiding arrangement, it is possible that, on one hand, tolerances of the rails running parallel and next to each other can be offset by the vehicle and, on the other hand, it is also possible to travel around narrow 90xc2x0 curves. When seen in the direction of travel, the pivot axes of the bearing shanks are therefore arranged in the area of half the vehicle""s length as well as behind each other, when seen in the direction of travel.
In order to enable travel around narrow 90xc2x0 curves, the rails are specially designed for the curve area. Starting with rails running as parallel as possible, the inner rail is retracted in the direction of the outer rail in such a manner that the inner, rear running gear maintains its direction of travel while traveling through the curve area. This is done to cause the speed of the inner rear running gear to approach zero while traveling through the curve area, however not reversing its direction of travel. Therefore even narrow curve radii can be traveled smoothly as well as without bumps.
Furthermore, DE 39 00 516 A1 describes a transport system with a vehicle guided by rails and a turnout. The vehicle essentially consists of a right-angle frame, whose corner areas have running gears, which can be pivoted about vertical axes. The running gears can be moved on rails located next to and at a distance from each other. The rails of different rail paths cross each other, preferably at a right angle. The crossing areas are provided with turnouts, in order to enable the vehicles to change rail paths. The turnouts essentially consist of rail sections arranged in the rails"" crossing points and can be pivoted about a vertical axis. Transferring a vehicle from the first to the second rail path takes place after the vehicle enters the turnout by moving the rail sections, which can be pivoted. Therefore the vehicle""s running gears are also pivoted by 90xc2x0, and subsequently the vehicle can move in the direction of the second rail thread.
According to one aspect of the invention, a transport system is provided that includes a plurality of rails and a vehicle that travels on the rails. The vehicle includes a frame with a plurality of cross members and guide members. The frame further includes a plurality of running gears mounted thereon which are pivotable about a vertical axis. A pair of stop elements are included that can be pivoted approximately 90xc2x0 about a vertical pivot axis between a cross position and a longitudinal position. At least one slide element is also mounted on the cross members that guides the running gears on the guide members in a linearly-movable manner at right angles to the longitudinal direction of travel of the vehicle.